US expedition travels 830 miles to Pacific island for Amelia Earhart's lost plane and finds a clump of TREES
The 'Taraia Object' spotted in satellite images of a Nikumaroro lagoon in 2020 looked metallic only because of a shiny carbonate veneer. Purdue University researchers found most of the debris had already broken up and washed away. Only a single Y-shaped segment remained. Earhart vanished with navigator Fred Noonan near Howland Island on July 2, 1937.
Leader Rick Pettigrew insists the team 'remains in great spirits and proud'.
Searchers did recover a 30-inch steel tube from the lagoon for further study.
An earlier plane-shaped sonar image off the island turned out to be rocks.
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The Times‘Amelia Earhart’s plane’ turns out to be a clump of treesDaily Mail USHopes of finding Amelia Earhart's lost plane are dashed: US expedition travels 830 miles to remote Pacific island - only to discover the 'Taraia Object' is NOT her Lockheed ElectraThe IndependentThe 89-year hunt for Amelia Earhart takes another turn as searchers stick by ‘castaway hypothesis’Fox NewsRace to find Amelia Earhart's lost plane hits rough seas as crucial deadline nearsFox NewsAmelia Earhart search suffers crushing setback after researchers make disappointing findYahooAmelia Earhart expedition in South Pacific to search for aviator’s missing plane ends in disappointment
